DJ Jamie Smart

Essex DJ Jamie Smart, friend of the Prodigy’s Liam Howlett who together used to work at a car wash, is one third of techno outfit ‘Empirion’. Formed in November 1993 at a club in Essex where Jamie was resident, he met up with reformed industrialist Bob Glennie and rock ‘n’ roller Oz Morsley, and the trio have been on a musical mission ever since.

However, unlike the Prodigy the trio all take an equal part in recording and running their label ‘Wanted Records’. From this came their first single Narcotic Influence, which was recorded in just two days. This anthem acknowledged techno classic was included in the Mix Mag top 100 dance singles of all time. Narcotic Influence also included mixes from Dave Clarke, Jack Dangers (Meat Beat Manifesto) and Secret Knowledge.

Their debut album called ‘Advanced Technology’ was released in May 1997 which was a collection of their singles featuring 94’s ‘Quark’ with its frenzied sharp angular jabs and dense bouncy rhythms, and 95’s ‘Ciao’ another biting and compelling classic, that brings us shattering bass, combined with industrial effects. Strings and manic distorted vocal effects develop into a heavy duty, hard hitting electro body music mayhem on ‘Jesus Christ’, a blinder that joins Hardfloor with Nine Inch Nails and Nitzer Ebb. This release furthered the band’s reputation and Jamie’s DJ sets at Prodigy shows helped increase their fame.

You may have already heard of Jamie Smart and Empirion from their killer smash remix of the Prodigy’s ‘Firestarter’, which can be found on the CD single. Or you may have caught them performing in the Arctic tent at Tribal Gathering playing alongside the likes of Hardfloor, Sven Vath, Andrew Wetherall, and Billy Nasty.